Help with Itinerary Changes

I have to be honest with you, Cindy. I think this itinerary is insane. As I was reading it, I was wondering if it was a put-on. And you want to add a couple of places? I think you should cut out at least half of the places you are going. And I say this as someone who is pretty energetic and okay with zipping around a lot. I think you need more two and three-night stops so you can actually see some of the places you are going.

Have you ever done a trip like this before? If you have and you enjoyed it, you can ignore all my comments. If you haven't, I would give serious consideration to redoing the entire trip and focus on just a few places - say London to Paris to Normandy back to Paris to Berlin and/or to Munich. From Munich you could do day trips to the castles near Fussen and to Berchtesgaden. Save the rest for another trip.

I actually did three weeks in 2004 with my 3 daughters very similar to this (more London & Italy/no Spain) and LOVED it. We planned 4-5 days on the go and then one day to to chill out and so on. Were we tired when we got home, of course. But, we were excited and still talk about the crazy adventures we had on that trip.

I'm actually pretty confident about most of this one, especially after being there once before. I'm just trying to develop a feasible order for Germany and Spain. I think it would be insane for me to spend 21 days in Europe and not take advantage of the amazing train system and inexpensive flights to see and experience all we can.

It doesn't sound too crazy to me. I've been looking at guided tours of Europe and most of them only spend 1 or 2 nights in each city. I like to look at how the major companies organize tours for the area I'm visiting and then tweak it to fit my needs. I'm not one for guided tours and I end up saving money.

I did spend one week in Germany. We flew into Amsterdam and spent one night there, one night in Bacharach, two nights in Rothenburg, one night in Fussen, one night in Munich.

Since you can add days, what about an overnight train from Amsterdam to Berlin. Spend one night in Berlin and then take the train to Rothenburg (approx 6 hrs).

I don't think you need more than one night in Rothenburg, in fact, you could probably just spend a half day there and then stay in Munich and do day trips to Berchtesgaden & Fussen before catching the night train to Rome.

Just some ideas, I haven't crunched the numbers.

Going to Rome and Pompeii for just one day and night seems way out of your way. It doesn't fit in your picture at all. Since you have been to Rothenburg before, why not strike it off the list too. Spend more time in Normandy and in Berlin if you want to get the WW2 stuff in. Have you looked at Battlbus tours yet? Though they do operate out of Bayeux and not Caen. In Berlin, there are some 3rd Reich tours that run between 10-15 euro per person that would be fascinating for your son and the rest of the family too. Throw in a trip to Sachsenhausen to really complete the war history research.

Son may have to choose between beaches and some of the other wishes on his list. A beach is a beach when you come right down to it.

Cindy, If you've done this sort of trip before and loved it, then go for it. Everyone has a different style of travel, and you need to plan a trip that fits your needs, not mine or anybody else's. I hope you have a great time!

In response to the posters that mentioned tours with a similar itinerary, I will point out than when you do this kind of itinerary on a tour, it is a lot different than doing it on your own. On a tour you don't have to figure anything out on your own, so it's much less stressful. Someone else is doing the thinking and planning. Also, with a tour, they've got their own bus, so you don't waste time waiting for a train or bus connection. So it is more efficient.

Also, cheap flights make it financially feasible to get places, but they still mean you spend a half day -- at best -- seeing the inside of airports and airplanes.

Cindy,

I have to agree with Carroll's first post, in that your proposed Itinerary seems to be far too "ambitious", even for three weeks. Despite the fact that you've done a similar trip in the past, you're covering a huge area with this Itinerary. If all your transportation connections work as planned, it's feasible but if there are any "hitches" the plan will be in trouble.

To answer some of your questions (and a few other thoughts)....

I'd definitely recommend spending more time at the Normandy beaches, given the fact the "Both are HUGE history buffs". You might consider at least one BattleBus Tour as they're outstanding! The "American Highlights" tour is one possibility. The Gun Batteries at Longues sur Mer are only a short way outside of Bayeux (Bunkers are mostly intact). However, that means you'll have to stay in Bayeux the night before the tour. There's also a good WW-II Museum in Bayeux and of course the Bayeux Tapestry (that details a much earlier battle).

Berchtesgaden is a fairly easy trip from Munich. After arrival in Berchtesgaden, you could connect with Eagles Nest Tours, which have an excellent reputation. Bob's Special Tours also offer tours from Salzburg. The Documentation Centre above town is interesting (there's also a Salt Mine tour there) although most of the exhibits are in German (rent an AudioGuide). Some of the Bunkers built into the mountain can be toured.

You might consider staying in Munich and using that as a base to visit the Castles in Fussen, Dachau and Berchtesgaden. It would also make transportation to your next destination a bit simpler.

One comment on a previous post - doing a 21 tour on your own is not the same as doing it on an organized tour, even if they do cover a similar route. While that can be used as a "guideline", doing a trip like that would require very precise planning.

Happy travels!